Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Entomology

1991 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1000

Commercial Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms

HYG-2122-96

Each year, our Extension Entomology office receives re- quests for sources of beneficial organisms that can be purchased to control harmful insect and mite pests.

Green Lacewing

This fact sheet lists sources of beneficial predators and parasites such as lady beetles, praying mantids, green lacewings, bumble bees, trichogramma wasps, predatory mites, nematodes, fly parasites, whitefly parasites, etc. This listing excludes useful organisms such as honey bees, earthworms, bacteria, fungi, protozoans and viruses.

Predators catch and devour smaller or more helpless organisms called prey. For example, a lady beetle, both in the larval and adult stages, feeds on many smaller less active creatures such as aphids and mites.

Parasitic insects, often called parasitoids, are insects in which the larval stage feeds on the inside of the larger, living host insect. The host insect is eventually killed by the parasite. Host insects may support just one parasite or a large group of parasites. For example, only one parasitic chalcid wasp develops inside of each aphid, whereas many braconid wasp parasites develop in a single caterpillar such as the tomato hornworm.

Praying Mantis

Suppliers are listed alphabetically including name, address, telephone and fax numbers along with a retail/wholesale notation. There may be a brief comment on specialities or services provided. This listing makes no recommendations nor implies their effectiveness in pest control. Before using any type of pest control, be sure to accurately identify the pest to be controlled.

Some companies can provide consultation services for establishing integrated pest management (IPM) programs where biological control is a major component. Some companies have literature available about beneficial organisms and how to use them.

Convergent Lady Beetle

For a more comprehensive list of suppliers of beneficial organisms in North America (includes Canada, Mexico and United States) , one free copy, per request, is available from: